Fountain pen probe

ABSTRACT

In a fountain pen, a readily removable probe is located in the feed bar of the pen and includes longitudinally extending air and ink channels therein, the probe supporting the nib of the pen.

Muted States Patent [1 1 [111 ,817,638 Dawn June 18, 1974- FOUNTAIN PEN PROBE 407,585 7/1889 Friedmann 401/239x W51 Inventor: AlanvawmHampshiwEngland 1.313323 11311? EZELZE::1:11:11::11331113111111:331/321ii [73] Assignee: E. S. Perry Limited, Gosport,

Hampshire, England Filed: May 19,1971

Appl. No.: 144,971

Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 21, 1970 Great Britain 60560/70 US. Cl. 401/239, 401/195 Int. Cl. B43k 5/16 Field of Search 401/241, 239, 242, 240,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1888 Bartram 401/239 X Primary Examiner-Lawrence Charles Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Molinare, Allegretti, Newitt & Witcoff [5 7] ABSTRACT In a fountain pen, a readily removable probe is located in the feed bar of the pen and includes longitudinally extending air and ink channels therein, the probe supporting the nib of the pen.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures FOUNTAIN PEN PROBE BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to fountain pens, and components for use therein.

Fountain pens usually have an ink feed bar which extends from the barrel of the pen and projects therefrom to lie beneath the nib, the feed bar playing an important part in ensuring that the ink is fed by capillary action to the nib tip. Unfortunately some inks, such as that commonly known as India ink, quickly dry thereby clogging the pen or at least preventing immediate writing therewith. This is particularly so if the pen nib has been left exposed to the air. The present invention avoids the above mentioned disadvantages and, to this end, a fountain pen according to the invention includes a readily removable probe which enages in a slot in the feeder bar and projects therefrom to form a support beneath the nib and, in fact, takes the place of the end of the conventional feeder bar. The probe can thus be readily removed should the pen be clogged with dried ink thereby allowing the pen to be readily cleaned.

In addition it has rather surprisingly been found that the provision of a probe of a particular configuration frequently obviates the necessity for removal of the probe at all and that a pen incorporating the probe of the present invention can be left with the nib exposed for a considerable period of time and stillbe ready for immediate use. A typical probe which has been used successfully in this connection has in its upper surface, i.e. that immediately adjacent the nib, a first inkreceiving capillary channel opening out into an airreceiving channel and a somewhat wider portion or snout adjacent the probe tip replaces the end of the conventional feeder bar. It is believed that the combination of air channel and ink channel is very material in reducing the tendency of the ink to dry. The probe tip preferably extends as near as possible to the writing tip of the pen nib. With such construction, the mere flexing of the nib which takes place during use of the pen has been found to be sufficient to break any film of dried ink so that, in general, the pen is always ready for immediate use.

Preferably, the probe has an outwardly extending flange or shoulder for facilitating removal of the probe from the feed bar of the pen. Obviously, other means can be provided if desired on the probe for facilitating its removal. For example, the underneath of the probe could be provided with a small recess.

Usually, the probe will have, in plan, the general shape of an arrow. The head of the arrow may, of course, be modified depending upon the type of nib which the probe is to support.

The probe may be made of any suitable materials and it will usually be made of a flexible material such as,for example nylon, an acetal resin, polypropylene, polyethylene or other plastic materials.

The fountain pen of the invention may be such that the probe extends longitudinally outwardly nearly as far as the end of the nib. As an additional refinement,

the nib may be positioned between a probe and a pen hood, the hood being above the nib andthereby preventing it from flexing too far from the probe during writing and further preventing air getting to the top surface of the nib. In general, however, the hood need not be used.

As indicated above, the probe is so dimensioned with respect to the particular type of fountain pen in which it is to be used, that it can repeatedly be inserted into and removed from the feed bar of the pen. Usually, the inner end of the probe will project into an ink reservoir in the fountain pen. However, if desired, suitable conduit means can be employed to connect the probe with the ink reservoir. The ink reservoir can be in any convenient form, but prefilled ink cartridges are generally preferred.

It has been found that a fountain pen constructed in accordance with the invention exhibits a far lesser tenedency for the ink to dry in the area of the nib than many fountain pens hitherto used.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the acompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a probe in accordance with the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the probe shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross section of the probe as viewed substantially along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectioned end perspective view of the probe of FIG. 1 situated in the feed bar of a fountain pen;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view the front portion of the fountain pen including the nib; and

FIG. 6 is a-plan view of an extractor for removing the probe from the pen.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, there is shown a fountain pen probe 2 having an elongated body portion 4 and an arrow shaped head 6. Throughout the length of the probe -2 is a first ink-receiving capillary channel 8 which is positioned beneath and opens out into a second wider air-receiving channel 10 (see especially FIG. 3).

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the probe 2 is so dimensioned and shaped that. it can be repeatedly inserted into and removed from a feed bar 12 of a fountain pen 14. In order to facilitate removal of the probe 2 from the feed bar 12, the probe is provided with shoulder 16 (see FIG. 2) against which a force can be exerted by a thumb or finger-nail or by other means such as the extractor tool 28 shown in FIG. 6. Obviously, the shoulder 16 will be located in a position which is accessable when the probe is in the feed bar of the fountain pen.

To extract the probe by means of the extractor 28 shown in FIG. 6, the nib 18 is inserted through the opening 30 and the probe is extracted by pulling on the tool 26 with the edge 32 in engagement with shoulder The fountain pen shown in FIG. 5 is such that the head 6 of the probe 2 extends nearly to the end of a pen nib 18. Positioned above the pen nib 18 may be a hood (not shown) which prevents the nib 18 from flexing too far away from the probe 2 when the fountain pen is in use. Obviously, if the nib 18 flexes too far away from the probe 2, ink may not reach the nib 18 in satisfactory amounts. 'In this connection it will be seen most clearly from FIG. 2, that both channels 8 and 10 converge toward the front point 22 of the head 6 of the probe 2, thereby ensuring that the ink reaches the nib 18.

The nib 18 is preferably a so called music nib, but other types of nibs may obviously be used if desired.

The pen of the invention has been found to be extremely useful with so called India ink, but of course is quite suitable with other inks.

As most clearly seen from FIG. 3, the sides of the airreceiving channel 10 are straight. If desired, however, the channel 10 may have any other appropriate crosssectional shape, for example V-shape.

What we claim is:

1. An ink pen of the type including an ink feed bar and a nib, the improvement in said pen comprising in combination therewith:

an elongate slot in said ink feed bar adjacent the nib,

elongate probe means removably inserted in said feed bar slot and projecting from the end of said feed bar nearest the tip of said nib, said probe means supporting said nib and being removable from said slot from said end of said feed bar, and

an elongate passage in said probe means opening to a side thereof adjacent said nib, said passage including an ink receiving capillary channel which opens into a wider air receiving channel.

2. The pen of claim 1, wherein said probe means inc!udes a wider portion adjacent one end thereof wherein said wider portion forms a continuation of said feed bar when said probe means is inserted in said feed bar slot.

3. The pen of claim 1, wherein the projecting end of said probe means includes a shoulder for contact by urging means for removing said probe means from said slot.

4. The pen of claim 1, wheren said elongate passage opens over substantially the entire length of the side of said probe means adjacent said nib.

5. The pen of claim 1 wherein said nib is flexibly movable relative to said probe means. 

1. An ink pen of the type including an ink feed bar and a nib, the improvement in said pen comprising in combination therewith: an elongate slot in said ink feed bar adjacent the nib, elongate probe means removably inserted in said feed bar slot and projecting from the end of said feed baR nearest the tip of said nib, said probe means supporting said nib and being removable from said slot from said end of said feed bar, and an elongate passage in said probe means opening to a side thereof adjacent said nib, said passage including an ink receiving capillary channel which opens into a wider air receiving channel.
 2. The pen of claim 1, wherein said probe means includes a wider portion adjacent one end thereof wherein said wider portion forms a continuation of said feed bar when said probe means is inserted in said feed bar slot.
 3. The pen of claim 1, wherein the projecting end of said probe means includes a shoulder for contact by urging means for removing said probe means from said slot.
 4. The pen of claim 1, wheren said elongate passage opens over substantially the entire length of the side of said probe means adjacent said nib.
 5. The pen of claim 1 wherein said nib is flexibly movable relative to said probe means. 